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Toyota Aims to Reduce Fuel Cell Vehicle Cost to 1/10 of Current By Commercialization in 2015; Reduction to Another 1/10 With Scale

Green Car Congress

Toyota is simplifying the design of its stack, resulting in downsizing and downweighting, and reducing the amount of platinum catalyst required. As an example, Yokoyama used the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) hydrogen storage tank. For comparable efforts by General Motors, see earlier post.). Click to enlarge.

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DOE to award up to $137M for SuperTruck II, Vehicle Technology Office programs

Green Car Congress

Demonstrate the joining of steel to aluminum and aluminum to carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites using the existing spot welding infrastructure. Develop new coating and adhesives that enable carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic/aluminum closure panels and validate corrosion testing methods. Federal funding.

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Ford focused on lightweighting as a major enabling technology for low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles from ICEs to EVs

Green Car Congress

” The more weight we can take out of our vehicles though use of alternative materials, and other lightweighting strategies that we have, that enables us to further downsize the engine—which is the biggest lever you can pull in the vehicle. But a stationary fuel cell to power a power plant, sure. —Bill Ford Jr.

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Porsche presents more efficient Gen 2 919 Hybrid LMP1 racer for 2015

Green Car Congress

Although the basic concept of the Class 1 Le Mans Prototype (LMP1)— a downsized turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine and two different energy recovery systems—was retained in the second generation, virtually every component was refined. It is now manufactured as a single unit, rather than in two sections.

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Using the PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) to Transition Society Seamlessly and Profitably From Fossil Fuel to 100% Renewable Energy

Green Car Congress

In contrast, except for the PHEV, the alternative fuel vehicles—such as hydrogen, natural gas and battery electric vehicles—pose problems and limitations due to their single energy source and the lack of infrastructure for high-power energy distribution of their individualized fueling needs. But use of petroleum will continue.

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